Love and War
by Bad Oumens
Summary: AU - Sometimes, love can bloom between the most unexpected people. Miho and Maho Nishizumi, two sisters struggling with the weight of issues placed upon them, confide in one another over a summertime visit from Maho, slowly learning more and more about each other that sisters shouldn't necessarily know.
1. Maho's Arrival

**A/N**

Hi there! Thanks for checking out my fan fiction story in a few months. As I'm sure you could guess, as a result of not writing in a while thanks to a lack of motivation on my part, my skills have probably dulled up a lot. I hope this won't be too bad of a fanfic, and I hope I manage to entertain some of you with it. If not, leave me a review telling me what I did wrong, what you liked, and what you think I could do better. Constructive criticism is always appreciated and will help me get back into the loop.

This story will be moving away from the canon Girls und Panzer plot, and as such, Miho and Maho will be developed differently, personalities included. On the personality note, there may be times where I may not get the characters right 100% as I am not their creator, however I will strive to get their personalities right as best that I can, so if I make any mistakes, please bare with me.

On the subject of update times, I will try and release one chapter per week as hard as I can, however, with school and other activities taking up a portion of my free time, this may not always be the case.

 **Getting warnings out of the way, this story will contain incestuous themes between the characters Maho Nishizumi and Miho Nishizumi.** **If you aren't okay with that, this story probably isn't for you and would suggest leaving.  
**

With all that sorted out, let's begin!

* * *

Love is a strange thing, a strange thing indeed. It means many different things to many different people across many different societies. In one, how many lovers you could take was a symbol of status, showing your might. In another, it was a sign of pleasure, for no two people could ever love the same, and what was the point in not fully indulging in such delights?

The ways in which we acquire it are also vastly different. Sometimes, it requires little more than asking, or showing that you have desirable traits or resources, such as food, money, livestock and other things. However, sometimes it is a bit more extreme. War. We think of war nowadays as little more than mindless slaughter, lives and potential with the possibility to innovate and invent thrown to the wind because your great leaders said it had to be so.

In more civilized times, warfare was ever-present, yet no lives were lost. Why? Because this type of warfare, Sensha-do, had been turned into a sport, and as with everything, safety precautions had to be put in place, moreso in Sensha-do's case than any other. Why, you ask? Simple. Sensha-do is a sport that involves tanks. As barbaric as it seems, it is actually quite an interesting activity, and all throughout Japan it was practiced. Great schools such as Kuromorimine Girls High School, Saunders Girls High School and St. Gloriana Girls High School became quite famous all across the world, moreso in Japan than anywhere else.

Sensha-do leads to many interesting opportunities in the way of love. Boys all across the country view girls who practice it as more attractive and mature, and as such had led to many girls far and wide taking it as part of their school curriculum and even going so far as to make a career out of it. At the same time, however, Sensha-do is less of a sport to some and more of an obligation. A necessary part of their life. For them, they would like little more to get away from the sport, as it has become less of a fun hobby and more of a chore.

Take Miho Nishizumi for example. Born into a family that was downright fanatical about Sensha-do, it took one mistake, one loss to scar her so much that she had completely abandoned her Sensha-do team and position as vice-commander, then left her school ship and stayed on one where there was no Sensha-do team. A coincidence? Hardly.

Miho never recovered from it, and shortly after her departure, she was disowned by her mother Shiho, and from that day forward, the only family Miho had ever spoken to was her elder sister, Maho. Maho had been Miho's best friend for as long as she could remember so it was only natural that Miho would call on her for help in way of shipping things over from home, or what used to be her home, be it a little bit of pocket change to spend on sweets or things Miho owned, she could always count on her big sister, even with her distant and serious demeanor.

Yet, for such an attitude, Maho loved her sister dearly, and when Miho left home, she took it upon herself to research and locate a good school for her to attend. Her first option was Ooarai Girls High School, but after doing some digging and finding out it was shutting down, she decided against it and had her transferred to another school, Black Beaver Girls High School, with a little bit of pressure put on her sister. The ends, indeed, justified the means.

Black Beaver was unique in that, like Ooarai, it had no Sensha-do team and wouldn't have one for as long as the school stayed in commission. They weren't against Sensha-do, of course, they just believed that other things were far more important. Things like math and science were dangerously neglected in some schools to the point where the only merit of students that graduated from such schools was their skill in the sport, the highlight of their day was to battle one another in giant war machines, and they would drown out other classes in favor of further developing existing strategies and inventing new ones.

Miho, away from Sensha-do, absolutely adored Black Beaver. The students were nice, friendly, and theirs was one of the most nature-abundant ships in the entire world, with animals just about everywhere they could be, you would frequently see deer in the forest, fish in the ponds, and birds in the skies above, drawing a direct correlation to Canada's abundant amount of wildlife and nature. It was quiet, peaceful, no tanks to be seen, and the ship was short enough that you could realistically walk from one end to the other and not break a sweat provided you were decently in-shape. The fauna were also quite nice, very friendly and always willing to stop by and spend some time with their human friends.

And Maho? Well, she was just happy Miho was safe and sound, away from her mother and the wrath she would unleash if she had ever saw her youngest daughter again.

Yet, as with all things, there is a story to be told here. One of forbidden love, neglect of ones duties as heiress, and oppressive behavior from the one who should support you through thick and thin.

* * *

 **SATURDAY, JUNE 23RD, THIRD DAY OF SUMMER**

 **DAY ONE OF VISIT**

Our story begins with the two Nishizumi sisters, Miho and Maho. From the start of the year til just a few weeks prior, Maho had been planning to share some quality time with her younger sister, for after Miho's departure, time spent with one another was scarce if non-existent. Sensha-do had kept Maho pinned, alongside her other courses at Kuromorimine, and with the weight of expectations from Shiho and her mother's recent disposition towards Miho, it was difficult to get any time at all with each other. Yet, Maho had been raised stern, unflinching in the way of fire and adamant towards reaching what she wanted, so when she decided on spending the entirety of summer with Miho, she was dead set on it.

Starting from January 1st, Maho began preparations to leave. It started with a bit of money set aside here and there until she had a sizable amount ready for purchasing supplies and treats and whatever else she would need to have the best time possible with Miho. Then, a way of transport was secured. Kuromorimine, alongside their tanks, also commandeered planes and zeppelins for quick transportation if need be. The vice-commander, Erika Itsumi, would be flying her to the Black Beaver ship before returning to Kuromorimine and taking control for the time that Maho Nishizumi was absent. With these things out of the way, it came time to inform everyone of her decision. While the entirety of her Sensha-do team was happy that their commander was taking some time off, Shiho was less so about it, and downright refused to let her leave at first. Only through sheer determination and a bit of Maho charm was she able to convince her mother to let her leave.

When all was prepared, the time came to inform Miho, and give her an option. Miho was, understandably, ecstatic, happy beyond words to finally be able to spend some time with her sister that wasn't strained by work and tensions, and quickly gave the affirmative for Maho's summertime visit. With all of this out of the way, the days passed quickly for both sisters until the time came for Maho's visit.

Before Maho's arrival, Miho decided to take a walk through the forests of her school ship to clear her head and unwind should any stress be present, wanting to be in tip-top shape for her guest. For how dense it was, it was only fitting that its abundance of surprises made the stress and anxiety of the day fade in mere minutes. A short while walking and Miho would come upon some berry bushes, another while yet, and she would happen upon a small pond where the fish swam below the surface, never ceasing to bring a smile to her face.

With a half an hour passed, Miho began her march back home, passing the familiar pine and oak trees, packed so tightly with leaves that they nearly blotted out the sky above, leaving just enough room for the light of the sky to slip past the green blanket that towered above her and every other creature that walked these trails. Emerging from the forest, Miho took to the streets, passing familiar shops and landmarks such as the electronic repair shop, the bakery, one of many restaurants and a grocery store as well to name a few.

The walk was short and she would return home to find Maho waiting on her doorstep with a large bag strung over her shoulders that held her possessions. Maho had apparently having arrived moments prior as made evident by the fact that she was looking herself over to make sure she looked her best before knocking. The surprise on her face to hear her younger sister call out to her made Miho giggle ever so quietly as she approached and gave her sister a tight embrace, receiving a familiar ruffle of the hair. "Hello Miho. I see you went for a walk." Maho greeted, stroking her head even after Miho pulled away, only ceasing when she went to open the door.

"Ah, yes I did! There's nothing like a good walk to clear your head before something big happens." Miho explained, leading her sister into her small, yet adequate, apartment. The furnishings inside were nothing special yet nothing to scoff at either. For being as young as she was and with her schedule, Miho was able to keep her home in relatively good shape. The walls were a white color and all along them, picture frames with memories from her past sat, from her first Sensha-do victory to a day of fun at the park with Maho when they were wee.

Alongside this, the stuffed bears that looked like they had been on the wrong end of a car collision, known formally as "Boko," littered the house. They were everywhere they could be! On the couch, on the chairs and on the coffee table, and presumably, in Miho's bedroom as well though Maho never went in there, and wouldn't unless invited in. She believed that Miho's room should stay her room even after her departure from home, and only through persistence did she stop their mother from tampering with the possessions inside.

"Have you eaten lunch yet?" Maho asked out of the blue, setting her bag down by the door and taking off her shoes, putting them with her sisters before moving to the kitchen, not waiting for a reply before she began to make Miho something to eat. "I can't stress how important it is to eat lunch Miho. There is too big a time difference from breakfast to dinner, not eating lunch isn't good for you." She ranted as she retrieved the toaster from the cupboard, sliding two pieces of bread inside and beginning to toast them while she rummaged through the fridge, taking an apple and cutting it into 8 slices before setting it on a plate.

All the while Miho hovered over her shoulder as she did every time Maho cooked with Miho in the vicinity, a younger sibling interested in what the older was doing. When the toaster popped, Maho retrieved the toast and spread some strawberry jelly and peanut butter on them before cutting them into triangles as she had done for years, putting it on the plate as well and shipping it off to the dinner table alongside a glass of orange juice with a pink bendy straw in it. "Sit and eat while I unpack. The spare room is mine, correct?" Maho asked, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

"O-Oh, okay! Thank you, sis! And yes, the spare room is yours for whenever you're here!" Miho said with a smile before digging in. There was a distinct difference between Maho and Shiho's cooking, the former's felt like it was made because Maho wanted Miho to stay healthy, happy and fed, never hungry, whereas the latter's was more of an obligation. That, and Maho's always felt like it was made with love. For as little as Maho showed, her distant and serious demeanor did nothing to disguise her true feelings to Miho, sheer love and nothing less.

Meanwhile, down the hall, Maho entered the room she had become so familiar with. The walls were the same white as the rest of the house, and the only furniture in there was a small TV, a bed that was a bit too small for Maho to sleep in comfortably, and a dresser as well. Nevertheless, Maho was thankful she at least had a room, even if it wasn't what she was used to. With a slight smile, she began to unpack, putting her clothes away in the dresser. Skirts, pants, dresses, shirts and socks alike went inside, packing it full. With that out of the way, she put a pair of brown slippers by the side of the bed and a bathrobe on the back of the door, alongside her towels.

The money Maho had brought along with her was safely stored in her wallet which was kept in her backpack when she didn't need it, and the only thing left was her umbrella which was stored on the rack by the door. Returning to Miho, Maho took a seat at the end of the table and watched her eat silently, smiling lightly. "You've grown since we last saw each other." Maho said, her gaze falling to Miho's hair. "And your hair as well, I'm glad to see. You've always looked better with long hair. Grow it out just a little more and you will be the jewel of every boy's eye."

Miho smiled widely at the thought, how many friends she could make like that. If only it were so easy. "You really think so? Is that why so many boys want to date you?" An audible chuckle came from Maho who simply nodded in reply, saying nothing. "But.. if so many boys like you, then why don't you have a boyfriend?"

Maho's breathing hitched for a second as she thought of a reply though a scrambled sentence forming "It's complicated," left her mouth immediately. That was something she was unable to fully answer herself. The purpose of Sensha-do was to prove that you were a desirable lover, that you were a strong, independent woman, and that the boy that you fell in love with should be thankful they won your love, at least that was what the general consensus was, yet for as powerful a commander as Maho was, she still had yet to fall in love. Heiress to the Nishizumi title, leader of the Kuromorimine Sensha-do team, commander of the Tiger I tank that Michael Wittmann himself used, yet for all the boys she knew, not one of them she found interesting. How odd.

"Ooh.. well, if it's complicated, then I understand." Miho stood up and washed off her plate and rinsed her cup before turning back to Maho. "Uhm.. would you like to go for a walk? It's really nice out today and I thought we could spend some time walking around, I can even show you the spots I like to go to!" She asked as Maho shook herself from her daze. With a quick nod, the two girls slipped on their shoes and were off, exploring the ship that Miho called home.

For hours the two girls stayed out, Miho showed her sister all the cool and interesting spots that she went to sometimes, from the pond with the cute fishies to the park with the deer roaming around, the two shared the first memorable experience they had in a while side-by-side, and when they returned home, Maho made a quick dinner for the two of them before they both went to bed for the night, exhausted, yet in high spirits.. and it was that day that Maho had laughed and smiled like old times, better times. Yet there was a nagging feeling at her side, one that reminded her that this splendid high wouldn't last forever.

Yet, Maho was Maho, and if she wanted something, she would have it. It was only a matter of time..


	2. Sisterly Bonding Part 1

**A/N**

Hiya! Sorry this chapter took so long to come out, life's been keeping me busy. Work, school, yada yada. Unpleasant nonsense best saved for another time over a drink, eh? Anyways, this A/U is just to extend my apologies for the late arrival. I hope this chapter and the followers will make up for it.

As always, if there's anything I could have done better, or you just want to spur me on with nice words, please let me know in a review!

With that out of the way, shall we begin?

* * *

 **SUNDAY, JUNE 24TH, FOURTH DAY OF SUMMER**

 **DAY TWO OF VISIT**

 **PART 1/2**

 _"Maho! Maho! Come outside! Let's go play in the tank! Maho!" The sound of her sister's high pitched voice pulled Maho from the immense amount of work_ _that had been shuffled off to her by her mother. Her gaze fell to the open window, underneath which, little Miho bounced up and down, bubbly as ever. "Come on Maho! Come play outside! Let's have fun together, you're always inside working!"_

The _blank expression splayed across Maho's face was an indicator of the type of person she would become in the future, hard-working yet a slave to her mother's desires. But it had been so long since Maho had the chance to indulge into the activities that had once occupied the majority of her life. Friends were zoned out unless they were into Sensha-do and while it was no more than friends doing something together to Maho, it was never so with Shiho._

 _'It always has to be a competition to mother,' Maho told herself. There was hardly a time, if ever, where Maho could recall her mother not scorning her for a loss in a simple friendly competition. First place was the only remarkable spot in the Nishizumi family, if you weren't first, you were last. The weight of such expectations never ceased to wear Maho down, more than once had she cried herself to sleep, more than once had she doubted her true self worth._

 _As the days passed, the girl Maho had been was slowly replaced by a shell, a simple pawn in her mother's hand. To be sent off and used, and when she had come back, famished, beaten and broken, it was always the same verse; a dismissive nod. As Miho came of age, she, too, was subject to the wrath of Shiho, yet Miho was stronger than Maho was._

 _How funny it was to think, yet it was the whole truth. Miho had the guts to break away from the abusive figure that stalked them their whole life, whereas even now, Maho worked tirelessly, never a thought paid to stress, never a thought paid to her own desires, cast away in the wind. The only thing she retained, to this day, was an oath she swore as she laid in her bed, sobbing underneath the stars.._

 _'Miho_ _will never suffer the same fate I have! I'm going to let her live her life the way she wants to, she'll get to talk to cute boys and make friends and try on clothes!' On that day, underneath that starry sky, Maho donned the mantle of Heiress to the Nishizumi style. And not once has she looked back, for the love she held for her sister shined brighter than any star could, and if she needed to, Maho would take the fall again. Yet, now, something far more important than work called out to her.._

 _"Okay Miho. Let's go play in the tanks.."_

* * *

The sound of Maho's alarm blaring from her phone, left alone in her backpack, tore her from the sweet dreams she had been having, her eyes cracking open, only to close upon being assaulted by the light. She let out a soft groan and sat up, stretching out her sore muscles and listening to the pops and cracks her tired bones made, echoing off the walls like a shout through a cave. Maho drifted towards her bag and silenced the alarm before exiting the guest room, being greeted with the sound of a spoon clacking against a glass bowl. Miho was already awake.

Maho moved into the living room where she saw her sister sitting at the couch, eating quietly while also playing with one of numerous Boko bears. It was a cute sight to behold and Maho could feel the corners of her lips tugging gently. Granted, Maho had no real feelings for the bears yet had bought more than a few for Miho, sometimes as surprise gifts for no particular reason, sometimes they came as a reward. The happiness that radiated from the shorter girl on those days never ceased to fill Maho with.. well, something. A warm, fuzzy feeling that made her stomach churn. She chalked it up to just being sick however, Maho had never given many gifts before, maybe she just wasn't used to it.

"Good morning, Miho. Did you sleep well?" Maho greeted as her rear end plopped down onto one of the empty seats unoccupied by the bears, which were few and far between. The sudden sound of a voice that wasn't hers startled Miho some and she nearly hopped out of her spot, tossing a Boko into the air which Maho promptly caught and handed off. "Careful. These are expensive, you wouldn't want to rip them."

"Ah, s-sorry Maho!" She quickly apologized, bowing her head. Upon closer examination, Maho found that one was one she herself had purchased years prior, remembering the discolored fur which was why she had bought it in the first place, seeing it as a little more unique than its others. By the way it looked and felt as well, it was kept in perfect condition, cared for just as much as Maho cared for her Tiger. "And, yes I slept well, thank you for asking! Was the guest room okay? I know the bed is a little small.."

Maho quickly piped up, shaking her head. "The bed is.. it's perfect, it's just like home." A bold lie on her part, that bed was the furthest thing from. It was small which made it uncomfortable and often times Maho wasn't able to fall asleep until hours after she had expected herself to, but not once had she complained. "Have you showered?" She asked, receiving a nod in reply. "Did you brush your teeth?" Nod. "And you had a filling breakfast?" Nod. "Good. If you want me to cook something for you though, don't hesitate to wake me up. I care far less about sleep than I do about you."

Miho smiled widely and embraced Maho tightly, snuggling into her stomach. "Thanks, Maho.. you're the best." Hearing these words brought warmth to her heart and she couldn't help but return the hug instead of the usual hair ruffle that they were both so used to. It was uncommon that Maho gave embraces, in fact, physical contact was limited beyond anyone that wasn't Miho. It felt.. wrong. As if one used salt instead of sugar for coffee. Whereas sugared coffee was brewed perfectly to the drinkers' tastes, a salted coffee was simply unpleasant. Such is what Maho felt when her hand rested upon anyone that wasn't her Miho.

 _Her_ Miho? What a peculiar way to put it.

The two soon left each other's arms, Maho going to the kitchen to brew herself a cup of coffee and make some toast while Miho played with her bears, Maho taking glances over her shoulder. Innocence personified, dropped into a world, an unbearably cruel one, where abnormality was shunned. Was that not the reason Maho took the mantle of Nishizumi Heiress? Miho was traumatized. She had saved someone's life, yet was shunned for it on top of losing the tournament against Pravda. Was Sensha-do so important to their mother that victory was more important than someone's life? Such is why she left.

Such decisions are what Maho fought to protect. Free will. Decisions made based on what Miho thought, no, _knew_ , were right. Miho had that about her, an aura Maho sensed. She always felt as if Miho instinctively knew what to do in every situation regardless of the backlash. But was Maho envious? Not in the slightest. For Maho, her baby sister was someone she revered. Like a brilliant teacher to a formerly bratty pupil. For every deed Maho did for her baby sister, Miho repaid tenfold.

Maho cupped her brew and soon returned to her sister, sipping quietly while watching Miho play. Normally, coffee would come after shower, yet when she was here, such schedules were broken in favor of spending time with Miho. An extra ten or fifteen minutes could lead to precious time spent between the two. "Sister?" Miho broke the silence, looking up at Maho who was pulled from her thoughts. "Do you want to.. maybe.. go to the store later? Just to look around?" She asked, eliciting a nod from the eldest. "O-Okay! In an hour?" She asked, her tone already becoming excited.

"An hour? I suppose I can do that." Maho nodded once more, causing Miho to squee in delight. The 'store' that she was talking about in particular was more for children, a toy store doubling as a candy store, yet perfect for one such as Miho. After finishing her coffee a few minutes afterwards and dealing with the dish, she went to do her morning routine before returning in some casual clothing, a grey t-shirt with a few cherry blossoms outlined on it, her favorite flower. As well, she wore black jeans which looked new as there were no rips or marks and grey socks. A sullen outfit to be sure yet it fit Kuromorimine's color scheme.

Miho on the other hand was garbed in a yellow dress that bore white sleeves, one she had been so fond of since the day she bought it. "Are you ready to go?" Maho asked as she emerged from the bathroom, disposing of her dirty clothes into a basket and her towels on a hanger to let them dry. "I would prefer it if we left earlier, it will give you a broader selection to choose from."

Miho seemed a bit surprised at this as she had only intended to observe, to see what the store had. "I-I only wanted to lo-" She was cut off abruptly by a soft finger placed over her lips.

"Nonsense," Maho began before pulling her finger away. "there is no reason to go to a store if you don't intend to purchase something. Imagine how upset you would be if you went to look and found something you liked, then returned the next day with intent to buy it, only to find it had been sold." She explained her reasoning as she went to retrieve her wallet, sliding it into her back pocket before returning to the living room. "Come now, let's get your shoes on and go to the store."

* * *

The walk to the store was short and Maho was greeted with a familiar sign, one that bore a rabbit standing on its hind legs with fists full of candy, and, judging by its puffed up cheeks, a mouthful as well. The two entered the somewhat large shop and began looking around, the younger girl running around and trying to find the cutest stuffed animal to buy while the older one trailed behind, looking at the nutrition labels on the boxes of candy, sometimes comparing two labels to find the healthiest candy there. She didn't want Miho to become overweight, now did she?

"But this one has more calories than this one.." Maho mumbled to herself as Miho bounded the corner, appearing at her sister's side in a matter of seconds.

"Maho, I foun-"

"Ah!" Maho yelped, nearly throwing the boxes across the aisle. "Miho.. just Miho.." She muttered in relief, putting a hand over her thumping heart.

"S-Sister?! Are you okay?" Miho asked, dropping the stuffed animal and getting closer, her hands on Maho's shoulder.

"Yes, yes.. fine. You just startled me is all." Well that's a bloody understatement.

"S-S-Sorry! I'm r-really sorry!" Miho apologized, profusely at that, to which Maho just smiled slightly and rubbed Miho's head as her heartbeat returned to normal.

"It's okay.. did you find something you wanted?" She asked, kneeling down and picking up the bear that had plummeted to the floor mere seconds before, dusting it off and looking it over. Yet another Boko. "Ah, you want this one?" Miho looked up and nodded quickly while Maho checked the price tag. "Is there anything else you want?"

Miho quickly shook her head, smiling with glee at the thought of taking the cute Boko home. "N-No, just this one!" She responded giddily. After confirming the price was reasonable and purchasable, Maho held out her hand for Miho which the younger girl took, their soft hands becoming intertwined with one another as they approached the register, purchased the Boko, and were soon on their way.

It was quite sunny out, hot as well, the two felt sweat bead off their skin though neither complained, perfectly happy in the company of one another. Yet, something was missing.. something sweet..

"Do you want to get a milkshake?" Maho asked, looking towards Miho. "It's quite hot out, don't you think? I think it would be a nice treat for the two of us to get." As quick as the words left Maho's mouth, Miho's head bobbed up and down. "Let's get a milkshake then." She smiled and soon took off with Miho in tow, their hands still together.

* * *

"Two, please." Maho ordered after paying. "One.. 'Chocolate and Caramel Volcano', what do you want Miho?"

The younger girl took a minute to decide before looking up to the elderly man behind the register. "Cookies and Cream please!" Miho ordered to which the man nodded and headed left, preparing their milkshakes while the two sisters took their seats. The parlor was situated in a food truck which sat in a park, and all around it were tables and plastic chairs, flimsy ones bought to save money. Raised above their heads was a red and white parasol, one of those classic ones you'd find just about everywhere.

It was a nice feeling, a feeling of comfort, one that you would get when you were with someone that you cared for, and that you knew cared for you. On days like this, nothing could go wrong. Maho wouldn't allow it. Seeing her sister across from her, playing around with the Boko, pretending it was another friend of hers, one had to wonder whether or not Miho and Maho were actually sisters given the drastic personality differences between the two. Even their tastes were different, the only thing that bound them together was their looks.

Maho didn't care what the world thought, however. Let them writhe in their doubt, this was _her_ baby sister, _her_ best friend, _her_ Miho. The thought crossed her mind yet again. _My Miho? Why am I claiming ownership of my sister?_ For all the answers that she had, Maho had none to explain it, and the only thing that came of it was a light blush upon her pale face.

The milkshakes came shortly after the two were seated and the two dug into them. Miho's was entirely sweet with a little crunch thanks to the chunks of cookies in hers, while Maho's was slightly bitter, just the way she liked it. Even their tastes in flavors were as night and day, and while Maho ate hers slowly, savoring the taste, Miho was finished only a few minutes after she got hers. "U-Uhm.. sister?" She asked, looking up to Maho whose gaze fell upon her. "Can I m-maybe try some of yours?"

Without hesitation Maho slid her milkshake over, straw and all, and watched as Miho sucked up the ice cream. "Is it good?" She asked, receiving a nod and her milkshake back. As Maho continued to drink, a thought crossed her mind, an idea that she had overheard from a student attending Kuromorimine.

 _"Didn't you know? If you drink from a straw, then another person drinks from that straw too, you're indirectly kissing that person on the lips! Everyone knows that!"_

The thought hadn't even formed when she had given Miho her milkshake, and now, after Miho had drank from it as well, they had both shared two kisses. What disturbed her most about that was not that they had kissed but the fact that Maho hadn't thought about it like that. Was it so strange for sisters to.. kiss? If it was anywhere but the lips, no, but that girl had explicitly said _on the lips_. "Hey.. Miho, did you want the rest of my milkshake?" She asked, having lost her appetite amidst the thoughts. Just another indirect kiss wouldn't matter, after all, they were sisters.. were they not? Such things shouldn't, no, _couldn't_ , matter.

"O-Okay, are you sure?" Miho asked, getting confirmation in the form of a nod, and within another few minutes the rest of the drink was gone. "That was really good.. thank you for sharing!" Miho bowed her head in thanks as Maho stood up, leaving a little tip for whoever cleaned up after them.

"Is there anywhere else you want to go?" Maho asked, holding her hand out to Miho, and soon the two were walking hand-in-hand down the street.

"Uhm.." Miho thought for a little before getting an idea. "We could go to my school, maybe it will be open and we can look around and talk to some of my teachers?"

"That sounds okay. Let's go then." It was peculiar, Maho thought, that schools would be open on weekends. Perhaps for janitors and the like, but what sort of teacher would be around? Perhaps ones doing extra-curricular activities.

Maho was somewhat eager to see what Miho did for her extra-curricular activities. Was she into hair styling? Maybe designing things from wood? Sewing perhaps? Whatever the case may be, Maho would support it until the end, after all, Miho's interests and aspirations meant the world to Maho, for it was something Miho found fun, and with all the weight placed upon her, she deserved to have all the fun she wanted.


	3. Sisterly Bonding Part 2

**SUNDAY, JUNE 24TH, FOURTH DAY OF SUMMER**

 **DAY TWO OF VISIT**

 **PART 2/2**

The interior of the building was cooler in temperature when compared to the outside, likely the result of dozens of fans and air conditioners working overtime. Still, the shift in temperature sent chills down Maho's spine. Not that her own ship didn't have air conditioning, it was more the fact that she spent most of her days outdoors, going over drills. Tanks got.. uncomfortably hot in the summer. Were she less concerned with her status as heiress, she would dress a little more revealingly so the summers weren't so miserable. Nevertheless, the cooler temperature was welcome. The people who decorated the large foyer did an extraordinary job as well, even if the white tile floor and brown brick walls didn't look so great together, the decorations more than made up for that. Instead of tanks, there were awards achieved in other subjects. Sports awards, huge class fabricating projects, wood statues, it was a pleasant change from the usual cannons and tracks.

"Do you participate in any extracurricular activities, Miho?" Maho asked as the two moved through the quiet building, the occasional phone ring heard somewhere off in the distance or a printer running, people talking or shuffling papers.

Miho nodded a little in response, turning her head towards Maho. "Yes! I do woodworking on Mondays and Tuesdays, and swimming on Wednesdays!" Swimming? Maho had to admit, she was surprised.

"Is that so? You'll have to show me how well you can swim sometime. I should brush up on my swimming too, now that I think about it." When they were younger, Shiho had put Miho and Maho through swim lessons and occasionally took the two to the beach, letting them expend their extreme amounts of energy, Miho especially, but Maho hadn't thought her younger sister would find swimming of all things interesting. She was pleasantly surprised, however. The thought of her sister in a swimsuit was..

Bad thought.

"Y-Yeah, of course! I think the swimming pool is open today for a couple hours, so maybe if we come back in time, we can swim together?" Miho asked hopefully, getting a little nod from Maho.

"I think that's a great idea." Maho replied, smiling a little wider in response. Finally, they stopped outside of a classroom with a sign above it. "Math" it read, and inside, a young woman with shoulder-length blonde hair sat, tapping away on the keyboard. After knocking, the two sisters entered, Maho staying quiet while her eyes glanced around at the countless motivational posters scattered along the walls. They held good meaning. Motivation was good for youngsters, especially when they were going through a rough patch in life.

The teacher, meanwhile, appeared a little surprised at her young students sudden arrival. "Oh, Miho! I wasn't expecting to see you today." She greeted, pulling away from her keyboard.

"G-Good afternoon, Miss Nagano! I was just showing my sister around the school." Miho explained, two pairs of eyes falling on Maho.

"Is that so? This is the sister you speak so highly of?" Miss Nagano asked, rising from her chair and stepping in front of the two, extending a hand to Maho. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. Your little sister speaks highly of you."

Maho gave the hand a firm shake before pulling back, looking up to the tall blonde. "I should hope she does, I try my best. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nagano, my name is Maho. I trust Miho excels in your class?" She asked, examining her features. Bright blue eyes, fair skin with hardly any blemishes, red lipstick among a variety of other types of makeup. Certainly a beautiful woman.

"Indeed! She's one of our best!" Miho's eyes widened and she chuckled nervously, trying to downplay the situation.

"N-No, I'm not that good, really! There are lots of others that are better than-" She was suddenly silenced by a light chop to the head from the brunette beside her.

Pulling her hand back, Maho folded both in front of her, a proud smile across her face. "I'm glad to hear that, then. Miho had always excelled in critical thinking and numbers and the like." Miss Nagano and Maho spoke back and forth, speaking mostly about Miho, her grades and what she did good in and what she needed to work on. Perhaps once Miho returned to school, Maho could help with studying, not that she was particularly great with numbers or words though. After a while spent talking back and forth, Maho and Miss Nagano both said their farewells before the two sisters left the classroom and Math teacher behind. "I like her. She seems nice."

That probably would have been due to the small population of the school, less students meant less hastily hired teachers who didn't actually like their jobs. "Oh yes, Miss Nagano is really nice to everyone! She's super helpful and smart."

"That's good to hear, then. Hopefully the rest of your teachers are the same." Unfortunately for the duo, it appeared the rest of the teachers were elsewhere, the majority of the doors being locked. Maho wondered if there were days where you could go in and meet the teachers, see who exactly was teaching Miho and what they were like. Were it up to her, Maho would homeschool Miho, but time constraints and sensha-do among other things put a vice on that wish rather quickly.

"What should we do now?" Miho asked, looking up to Maho. "We could go...?"

"Yes, yes, let's go swimming. Hopefully I brought my swimsuit along, I can't remember for the life of me if I did or not.." Maho had to admit, she was a little excited to go swimming again. It had been years since she had stepped foot into a pool. And besides, she had been way better than Maho back in the day, maybe there was still a trick or two she could teach Miho.

* * *

"This is degrading." Maho grumbled, two bright pink floaties wrapped around her arms and a similarly colored tube floatie around her waist. She had thought that she would have soared through the initial tests, but when she got into the water, Maho was like a fish without.. anything that made up a fish.

"I-It's okay, you look cute!" Miho insisted, trying to ease her sister's annoyance. Admittedly, the pink floaties _were_ rather cute.. if Maho was eight years old again, but unfortunately she wasn't. She was almost an adult, for crying out loud! This was absurd! "Besides, look at everyone else who's wearing the floaties." Turning around and raising her arm to point, the two realized Maho was the only one wearing floaties. "Err.. oh.." Miho's arm slowly lowered into the water and her whole body turned to Maho, a sheepish look on her face.

Sighing to herself, Maho closed her eyes and suppressed her embarrassed emotions, though the blush failed to leave her cheeks. "It's fine. Lets just.. swim." Maho began to go over what she had learned from Shiho years prior, moving to lay on her stomach and stretching her arms and legs out. Okay, that's the first step down, not that she had forgotten that bit. The bit she had forgotten was the motions. It couldn't be too hard, right?

Miho, meanwhile, floated in the water a few steps away from Maho, watching as her sister struggled to relearn what she had forgotten. It was kind of cute, the sister Miho looked up to and learn a lot of what she knew.. "Watch me, Maho." Miho plopped down in the same way Maho had before stretching out her arms. "When you swim, kick with your legs and pull with one of your arms." She explained, the motion was easy to explain but getting it right was a little more tricky. Maho returned to an upright position and watched as her sister swam around her before nodding, once more laying down on her stomach and going off the instructions Miho had given her, swimming a little slowly at first, and with as much grace as her Tiger, but she was doing it.

Miho looked ecstatic, she had taught Maho something for a change! Not only that, but Maho was able to do it! Not so great right now, but she was definitely swimming. "Yeah, great job!" She clapped, a happy smile on her face. "If you keep at it, I'm sure you'll be a good swimmer!" Maho chuckled softly as she slowed herself before standing upright, rubbing the back of her head.

Kuromorimine didn't have any swimming facilities unfortunately, it was a school dedicated mostly to sensha-do, so there was no way she would become a great swimmer.. on the Kuromorimine home ship, anyway. That did bring an idea to Maho's head, though, what would happen if she.. abandoned her duties as heiress?

Most likely, Shiho would put a bounty on her head.. maybe not, but it wasn't far fetched. Shiho was a rather extreme person when it came to sensha-do, she already showed how far she would go when one of her daughters disgraced both the Nishizumi style and name. If Maho left, the long arm of Shiho would tear them out of any fantasy they chose to live in. But.. each time the two sisters spent time together, it was like being thrust into a pleasant dream, and going back to Kuromorimine was waking up..

"S-Sister? Are you.. okay?" Miho asked, her hands together in front of her chest as she approached the deep-in-thought Maho, who promptly shook herself from her haze.

"Yes.. sorry, I was just thinking about.. how much fun I'm having." Replied Maho, reaching over and ruffling Miho's hair. "Let's get back to it, shall we?"

* * *

The swimming was a good workout for Maho. Aside from gym class she rarely exercised, but even in gym class she never had that much fun. "I have to admit, that was more fun that I had initially thought it would be." Maho smiled, standing behind Miho, watching the other wash the chlorinated water off her body. With how tightly the swimsuit hugged her body, it was rather easy to see her sister's curves and how her body was developing. Really, it was hard to explain how her little sister hadn't found a boyfriend yet. Or maybe she was into girls?

"Yeah! Swimming is a really good way to cool off, especially on days like this!" Miho replied, her back turned to Maho.

Maho blushed vividly, unable to stop her gaze from falling downwards to her sister's rear and thighs, both a good size for her 16 years. Maho hadn't been so well endowed when she was that age, and even now, during her senior year, she found herself a bit less.. effeminate than her baby sister. Her chest was larger, yes, but her rear, thighs and hips? Not so much. "Y-Yes, I.. agree that they are." Maho gulped, returning her view to the back of Miho's head just as the younger girl turned around. "My turn."

Stepping into the warm water, Maho quickly washed herself off, not one for taking too long in the shower. The feeling of her skin pruning made her rather uncomfortable. Once she finished washing her hair and body, Maho turned off the water and followed Miho to the lockers, the two opening their own and retrieving their own towel. While Miho's was a plain white with yellow flowers decorating it, Maho's was a flat black with no embellishments. Just how she liked it.

"So, when we get home, what do you think you would like for dinner?" Maho asked, letting herself air dry for a few minutes before drying herself with the towel. "I don't believe we had lunch today, so I was going to make something big to make up for that." Maho stood and retrieved her clothes from the locker, going to one of the stalls and locking herself in before stripping and getting into her clothes.

"Uhm.. how about some.. teriyaki salmon like mom made?" Miho asked, setting off a pang in her poor heart. Would it be okay to.. make something like that, especially after Shiho disowned her? Maho didn't want to make either forget each other completely, rather, the bad blood they had between one another, so they could all be a family again, father included.

After a brief pause, Maho finally replied, coming out of the stall and packing her wet clothes and towel into her backpack. She'd wash it all later. "Yeah, teriyaki salmon works. Just like mother made."

The walk back to Miho's home was pleasant as it always was. They didn't have an abundance of wildlife at Kuromorimine, so seeing deer and birds and the like really did make Maho happy. It was the little things, really. Back home, she had a dog named Yuu, a little goofball, that one. He had been Maho's saving grace on more than one occasion, when work piled up to her neck and the amount she was stressed began to physically hurt her, Maho dropped it and took Yuu for a walk.

His demeanor was that of a young Miho, curious, bubbly, silly, but overall very caring. Maybe that was why she felt so attached to him.

...

What was she doing again?

"Right.. dinner.." Maho cursed internally for forgetting so quickly, having stood idly in the doorway for the better part of a few minutes. Had she been getting lost in thought often?

Ridding her head of any thoughts beyond dinner, Maho took off her shoes and set her backpack beside the door before going into the kitchen, giving a few glances here and there to Miho and her activities. A familiar introduction played through the TV, that of a Boko cartoon. Why didn't that surprise her? Still, seeing Miho stare so intently at the TV as a bear was beaten to the brink but always got back up was amusing, cute.. even if the concept of such a thing was utterly unrealistic.

A short while later, Maho dished up the food as well as some drinks, taking them to the couch and placing them on the coffee table. "Here you are. Eat slowly, it's still hot." She warned, taking a sip of her coffee and digging into the hot meal. It had been the first time in a while she cooked something like it, so hopefully, Miho-

"Dish ish sho gooh!" Miho immediately cried. Was Maho digging in? Sorry, it was more like she was nibbling bits of it in comparison to how fast Miho wolfed it down. "There's more, right?!" She asked after swallowing, looking at Maho with expectant eyes.

There wasn't any more salmon and the grocery store _was_ a bit of a walk.. "Yes, there's more. But I need to make it. Aaand.. I wanted to go for a walk after I finish, so I'll make it when I get back." Maho knew her sister too well. If she had said there wasn't any more salmon, Miho would've insisted Maho not worry about it and said she was full or something along those lines.

"Oh.. well, that's okay then! I was just wonderi-" Miho was suddenly shushed by a finger over her lips, Maho giving one of her famous death glares, making the younger girl back down immediately.

" _I will make it, when I get back._ Clear?" Maho restated, only retracting her finger when Miho agreed. It was always a battle with her.. a battle Maho so enjoyed fighting. If it made her sister happy, she'd battle forever.

Dinner for the two went smoothly after that, Maho taking the plates and cups to the sink and rinsing them before leaving them to air dry before going to the door and slipping her shoes on. "Going to go for my walk now, I'll be back in.. 15 minutes." Maho informed, about to leave when she was stopped by Miho's arms wrapped around her.

Those adorable brown eyes were soon staring up at her, making Maho's poor heart melt. "Stay safe, okay?" Miho told her, receiving a light nod and a hug in return from Maho before she left.

Maho had to stop herself from squeeing at the adorable nature of her sister, only allowing a wide smile to surface as she walked to the grocery store. "Alright.. let's see what they have.."

* * *

Following Miho tanking another two slabs of salmon, the two had hunkered down for the evening, and shortly after, Miho fell asleep, laying her head on the arm of the couch and hugging one of her Bokos.

Maho meanwhile was at the other end of the couch, her elbow digging into the opposite arm while her head rested in her palm, the other hand holding some dumb tank magazine she had neglected to remove from her backpack. She couldn't help but feel bored by it all, tanks were beautiful things, yes, but there was more to life than oil and metal. Sighing and tossing the magazine onto the table, her eyes found themselves fixated on Miho, blissfully sleeping.

It was a surreal feeling, like when Maho was with her, all the problems in the world just faded away. Were Miho not her sister, Maho probably would have asked her out long ago.. that wasn't a weird thought to have, was it? "If Miho wasn't my sister, I would have asked her out.." She repeated in a whisper before shooting up and marching to the bathroom, closing herself in and staring at herself in the mirror. What the hell was wrong with her?

Dating her sister.. it made Maho's heart flutter, but at the same time, her hands began to shake. "What the hell is wrong with me.." She grumbled softly, running some cold water and splashing herself with it. Still, the thoughts persisted. It was just.. Maho was tired. Yes, that was it. She was tired, delirious.

Leaving the bathroom and returning to the living room, Maho took her spot once more, bringing her feet up to the couch and resting her head on the arm of the couch, staring at the TV and the flashing images played in front of her. Slowly, sleep washed over Maho, the two sisters snoozing next to one another. Perhaps her dreams would grant her some reprieve from her.. unnatural thoughts. She hoped.

 _"Miho, I.. need to tell you something."_


	4. Early Birds Part 1

_"O-Oh! Hi, Maho!" Miho greeted with her usual adorable smile, those bright eyes staring at Maho's own, dull and faded. "What do you need to tell me?" The words immediately got caught in Maho's throat, for all the courage and bravery Maho had, why was it now she became weak? Why was it now that she couldn't.. say what was on her mind? No, she wasn't going to let these barbed words stay, she needed to say them, she needed to know what Miho would say, what she would think._

 _"I.. I love you Miho! Since we were little I've loved you, there's not a day that goes by where I don't wish I could stay with you forever, where I don't wish we could get married! Please Miho, will you be my girlfriend?!" Maho blurted out without taking a breath, leaving herself a panting mess, but she had said it at least. She had just confessed her love to her sister, and it wasn't in a way two sisters should love each other. Maho shouldn't feel like this for her little sister.. but she did. No other girl compared, no other girl could ever light up Maho's world like Miho could._

 _That's why Maho needed Miho by her side. Forever._

 _"M-Maho..!" Miho squeaked out after getting over the initial shock, a heated blush on her face. It appeared the words got caught for Miho as well, though she nodded her head before slapping her hands over her face, covering her embarrassment. Miho said yes! Miho said yes!_

 _Maho couldn't help herself, she wrapped her arms around her little sister's waist and pulled her in, waiting for Miho to drop her hands before slowly moving in for a kiss, planting her soft, pink lips on Miho's own. The two stayed connected for a long while before pulling their lips apart, each smiling drunkenly. "I.. love you, Miho." Maho said, closing her eyes and hugging Miho, whose own arms snaked around Maho's back._

 _"I l-love you too.. Maho."_

 _..._

 _..._

* * *

 **MONDAY, JUNE 25TH, FIFTH DAY OF SUMMER**

 **DAY THREE OF VISIT**

 **PART 1/2**

Maho's eyes slowly opened, being assaulted almost immediately by the sun shining into her face. Letting out a low noise of annoyance and shielding her eyes, Maho sat up and rubbed her face gently, looking around. That dream ended way too damn early.. sighing softly, Maho sat up and stretched, turning off the TV and going to the guest room, grabbing her towels before moving to the bathroom and locking herself in, undressing, turning the shower to a comfortable hot temperature and stepping in.

She couldn't help but ponder the precarious position she was in. Deep down, she knew how she felt about Miho, and, as wrong as it was, as wrong as that dream had been, Maho had to admit, it was one of the happiest she had in awhile. Not to mention, Miho was a beautiful girl with a bright personality, skilled in academics, motivated and loving. Was Maho really worthy of something like that? Perhaps she gave herself too little credit.

Grabbing the shampoo and taking a good amount in her hand, she began washing her dark brown hair, running her fingers through the medium-length bundles of hair, making sure the shampoo worked its way in. The scent of strawberries hit her shortly after, of course Miho would buy something of such a scent. Not that Maho minded, in fact, those shampoos with the supposedly girly scents were the ones she was most fond of. Typically, though, she just bought shampoos with plain scents, not particularly caring about what her peers thought of her body.

Course, that had only come to pass when Miho left Kuromorimine.

She didn't know if she felt like how she did for her sister back then, but it was only when Miho left when she decided to use the plain brands. Back then she would spend hours debating the best scent or what would make her body stand out more.

Not that Maho particularly cared for fashion to begin with, though. Most days she just threw on whatever was closest and was clean, a hint of laziness to her otherwise efficient schedule. Black on yellow, blue on grey, pink on teal.. a modern art masterpiece, clearly.

Stepping under the stream, Maho rinsed out the shampoo before moving onto the conditioner, once more, taking a good amount in her hand before working it into her hair. She couldn't lie, hot showers were one of few pleasures she was given on this planet, though she didn't like staying in for long. Pruning skin were like nails on a chalkboard to her.

Maho soon rinsed off the shampoo and went onto the body wash, though this one was hers. She didn't want to use all of Miho's since she did take more than normal. Once enough had been rubbed on, Maho stepped back into the water and waited a little bit before coming back out and turning the taps, stopping the water stream and climbing out of the shower, taking a seat on the lid of the toilet before drying her body off.

Exiting the bathroom soon after, now dressed and clean, she dropped her towels on the bed and headed out to the living room to see Miho still sleeping, a little smile coming to Maho's face. Maho decided to just make breakfast and wake Miho up with it. What to make, though..

Looking through the cupboards, Maho decided on some french toast with a bit of cinnamon mixed in with some fake maple syrup to add just a little bitterness to the sweetness. Damned Canadians, why couldn't they make real maple syrup more affordable overseas?! She had to admit, though, real maple syrup was a gift from the gods. Chuckling quietly to herself, Maho began making the french toast, making sure not to make too big of a mess.

After a short while, Maho had made a large stack of french toast, making sure to clean up afterwards before pouring a glass of milk and bringing it all to the coffee table, setting it down and shaking Miho gently. "Mihooo.." She called softly, shaking her sister awake and smiling. "I made you breakfast."

"Ahh.. thank you.." Miho mumbled softly, taking a minute to wake up before digging into the food, not displaying much emotion unlike normal but Maho chalked it up to her needing a few minutes to wake up. Meanwhile, Maho went and got herself a bowl of cereal, not exactly hungry right yet, though she would eat more later to get the proteins and nutrients and such things that she needed to start her day off correctly.

Turning on the TV, Miho flipped through the channels, stopping at a station that broadcasted cartoons, the one they had watched before. Today, it appeared the show was about a yellow sponge and his adventures underwater. It was a relatively old show, but it was still good. Obviously not as good as Boko, but then again, nothing was really as good as Boko was. At least to Miho.

As for what the day had in store.. Maho really had no idea. Perhaps the arcade? She wasn't terribly good at video games, in fact the only one she had ever played was at Erika's house, of all places, but they still interested her a fair bit. Granted, video games, at this point in time, were a bit.. under-developed, so to speak. Just cubes and flashing lights and electronic grumbles and rumbles, but they still got the job done.

Maho had been eager to pick up reading again, so the library was an option as well. Did Miho read much, Maho wondered? "Hey, Miho, do you read often?" Maho asked, turning to her.

"I-I read those Sailor Moon mangas!" She replied cheerfully. Wasn't Sailor Moon some.. anime thing? Admittedly, Maho liked a lot of animes, though had little time to watch them considering her obligation and the amount of paperwork she often had, but mangas weren't too far off.

"Sailor Moon, huh? I've never read that one. I liked Fruits Basket." Replied Maho, though she did also enjoy history books. Mostly the events that happened on the eastern front during Operation Citadel, but they were still interesting nonetheless. Of course, she had dug a little bit into the original owner of her tank, Michael Wittmann. Apparently he had been one of the so-called "Panzer Aces", taking out a group of T-34's with a StuG. She couldn't place her finger on the model, but engaging a group of T-34s alone in a casemate tank was admirable. Stupid, but admirable.

The Tiger he used served as Maho's flag tank, having an uncanny ability to shrug off shells, though whether or not this was just the luck surrounding the tank or the ghost of Wittmann protecting it, Maho had no idea. She couldn't help but chuckle at the thought, getting a concerned look from Miho. "What are you giggling at, Maho?" She asked, finishing her food and setting the dish on the coffee table.

"I was.. just thinking about how strange it would be if my tank's previous owner haunted it and made sure the tank and I didn't get hurt." She explained, thinking back to her beauty. As much as she loved her Tiger, she also hated it to a certain degree, representing her own weakness.

Hmm.. but she had those thoughts before, didn't she..

Leaning back into the couch, Maho crossed her arms and watched the TV idly, listening to the sound coming from it. "Did somebody say BOOM?!" The squirrel yelled, followed by an explosion in the background. If only she had a Karl-Gerat. It would make her life so much easier.. from how the rumors went, the All-Stars University Team had access to one of those though Maho doubted it had ever been fielded given the rules of Sensha-do and the sheer destruction it would cause.

There was an emphasis that had to be placed on safety given the nature of their sport, and the firepower fielded by a Karl-Gerat would hardly be safe. It had enough to roll tanks and given all the metal and explosives on the inside of tanks..

"Say, Miho, do you know if the arcade on this ship has any tank games?" Maho asked, getting a nod from Miho.

"Yeah! There are a lot of tank games at the arcade, we can go there if you want?" Miho asked, receiving a nod herself."Okay! I'll go shower then." Miho hopped up and scampered to her bedroom, then to the bathroom after presumably grabbing a change of clothes and some towels. Now, Maho waited..

* * *

Considering how early in the morning it was, and the fact hardly anyone was up right now, the arcade was relatively quiet, save for a few early birds who wanted something to do for the last hour they had before classes started. Armed with a sack full of quarters they had gotten from the front desk, the two sisters went about playing some games. The one Maho had played before with Erika, Pac-Man, called to her, the girl surprised to see that it came in arcade form as well.

"Hm. I've played this with Erika before." Maho said, sliding in a quarter and grabbing ahold of the joystick, going about eating the white spheres while narrowly avoiding the ghosts.

"You play video games Maho?" Miho asked, somewhat surprised Maho even had time.

"Not really, sometimes when I go over to Erika's house to study or what have you and we have a few minutes free." Replied Maho, a small, sadistic smile coming to her face as she ate one of the off-colored spheres, hunting down the ghosts. "That's right, run you swine.." She muttered under her breath, eliciting a giggle from Miho who went and played Mario Bros on an arcade behind Maho.

After a few losses, Maho decided to hang up the towel and moved behind Miho, watching the younger girl play the game with ten times more skill than Maho possessed. "You're good at this." She complimented, crossing her arms and watching the Italian man hop outrageously high, eat mushrooms and stomp everything from turtles to brown colored mushrooms that could walk. "It looks strange, though.."

"The concept behind it is a little strange, but it's actually really fun! Did you want to try?" Miho asked, looking to Maho as she entered another stage.

"I.. suppose. No guarantees I'll be good, though." No less than 5 seconds later, Maho had flung herself off a ledge, and the normally cold girl couldn't help but laugh quietly. "Whoops.."

The thought of an Italian plumber hopping up some brick stacks and then flying off the edge was rather funny to Maho. Why was he climbing up brick stacks in the first place? Why was he chowing down on mushrooms? Why was he stomping turtles?! These questions needed to be answered! The developers of this game sure were strange, no question about it. "So, do you have a favorite game?" Maho asked, stepping away from the controls.

"I like this one racing game, I'll show you!" Miho slid her hand with Maho's, the older girl's heart skipping a beat as she was pulled along. So soft.. delicate. She wanted to hold Miho's hand forever.

When the two arrived at the machine, it appeared to have the controls for a tank. That's when it dawned on Maho, it wasn't supposed to be a car racing game, it was a tank racing game. So.. what were they driving? Panzer IIs? CV-33s?

From the looks of it, when Miho sat down and started the game, it was a bunch of tanks. Panzer IIs, FT-17s, CV-33s, BT-7s, a whole bunch. Weren't FT-17s slower than the other three, though? She wasn't exactly well versed in first world war tanks, save for maybe the A7V but that thing was less of a tank and more of a moving refrigerator on tracks.

Leaning over Miho's shoulder with her arms on the back of the seat, she watched as the tanks zipped past one another a bit too quickly to be realistic, the BT-7 taking the lead as a result of hopping a section of the track with Miho in close pursuit in her Panzer II, collecting a box which appeared to be some sort of powerup that let her use her cannon. After a few shots, the BT-7 slowed to a halt for a few seconds before firing up again, Miho taking the lead. "That BT-7 must have had some weak tracks.." Maho pointed out.

"It's just a game, it's not supposed to be realistic, silly." Miho replied, giggling softly while the Panzer II rolled over the finish line, coming in first after just one lap.

"I can see that." She laughed quietly and retrieved her phone from her pocket, glancing down at the screen. "Crap, it's almost 9 AM.. we should get you to your classes." Maho said, holding onto the bag of quarters for a later date.

"Aww.." Miho pouted but got up nonetheless. "Can we come back later?"

"Of course. While you're at school, I think I'll do some grocery shopping, get us some snacks for later tonight." Maho smiled, offering Miho a hand and walking her out of the arcade and towards the school. "Do you have any preference for what I get?"

Miho thought about it for a long while before deciding on smores. "Can you get some graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate?"

Maho gave a thumbs up, adding onto that some caramel ice cream, though she wasn't entirely sure if it would go well or not. "I can." Stopping at the house to get Miho's school equipment, Maho realized neither of them had made Miho a lunch. How could Maho have been so stupid?! "I'll bring you some lunch whenever your lunch time is, just send me a text and I'll come by." Maho told Miho, getting a hug from her before the two said their goodbyes. "Now.. what to make for lunch.."

Now alone in Miho's apartment, Maho stepped into the kitchen and opened up the fridge and freezer, taking a look inside. Seaweed, fish, rice, soy sauce.. sushi it was.

After washing her hands, Maho set down a cutting board and brandished a knife, making sure it was nice and sharp before getting to work. She would make it extra special to make up for her forgetfulness. Unfortunately, one issue plagued Maho from the beginning.

...

"I have no idea how to make sushi."


	5. Quick Update

Hey everyone, this is just a quick little update. The next chapter will be coming out a little late due to some personal family things. One of my family members has become incredibly ill and it's been up to me and another of my family members to take care of her which has taken a good chunk of my day due to the other family member being out a lot. I'm not dropping this story again, just wanted to give everyone a heads up on the situation.


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